Flexible stethoscope



Sept. 26, 1967 I. A. SHLYAKHTER ETAL 3,343,628

FLEXIBLE STETHOSCOPE Filed Sept; 7, 1966 United States Patent 3,343,628 FLEXIBLE STETHOSCOPE Isaak Abramovich Shlyakhter, V.O. 2, Linia 43, kv. 14, and Dmitry Dmitrievich Verner, Siezzhinska ulitsa 29, kv. 24, both of Leningrad, U.S.S.R.

Filed Sept. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 577,661 3 Claims. (Cl. 181-24) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Stethoscope having open and closed bell-mouths with angularly related application rims and respective conduits coupled to a common conduit of acoustic system, the aperture in the open bell-mouth being located for facile closing by a forefinger of the operator, the open bellmouth being larger in volume than the closed bell-mouth.

The present invention relates to instruments for the auscultation of the heart and lungs of men and animals.

Known flexible stethoscopes for auscultation comprise a membrane-closed bell-mouth and an open bell-mouth, interconnected through a common union-pipe which, in turn, is joined to a noise-conductor branching into two car cannulae.

Detection of pathological sounds of various frequencies in these stethoscopes can be achieved only by alternate disconnection of one of the bell-mouths, for which purpose the stethoscopes are provided with mechanical switching appliances which complicate the stethoscope design and require additional movements by the physician, thus causing the diversion of his attention.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate said disadvantages of the known flexible stethoscopes.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a flexible stethoscope of a simpler design and providing for practically continuous sound filtration in auscultation.

In the accomplishment of the above and other objects of the present invention the conduits of the bell-mouths in a flexible stethoscope are permanently connected to the common conduit of the acoustic system. The aperture of the open bell-mouth conduit is located so as to make it possible (-when working with the closed bell-mouth) to cover it with a finger of the hand which holds the stethoscope on the body of the patient under examination.

The present invention will become more apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof and the accompanying drawing, which shows a sectional view of a flexible stethoscope, according to the present invention.

The flexible stethoscope according to the invention com- "ice prises an open bell-mouth 2 and a bell-mouth 6 closed with a membrane 1. Both bell-mouths have respective conduits 4 and 5 permanently connected to a common conduit 7 of the acoustic system. The membrane-closed bell-mouth 3 has a considerably smaller volume than the bell-mouth 2, as a result of which it does not aifect the operation of the latter.

Closed bell-mouth 3 has an application rim which is angularly disposed at angle A to application rim 9 of the open bell-mouth 2. Conduit 4 is at least approximately parallel to rim 8, whereas conduit 5 has the same relationship With rim 9. Conduit 4 and aperture 6 are located at heel 510 of the structure which is the part of the structure of greatest height.

In auscultation with a flexible stethoscope the open bell-mouth 2 is used at first. Next the stethoscope is turned with the membrane-closed bell-mouth 3 towards the patients bosom, while an aperture 6 of the conduit 4 is closed with a finger of the hand which holds the stethoscope.

This procedure provides for frequency filtration and makes it considerably easier to detect the duration (time characteristics) of the sounds heard by means of said stethoscope.

What is claimed is:

'1. A stethoscope comprising two bell-mouths of different volumes; a membrane closing the smaller of said bellmouths, means provided with two conduits connected to said bell-mouths, means provided with a common conduit for an acoustic system, the conduit of the open bell-mouth having an aperture in a position to be closed by a finger of an operator, the conduit of the open bell-mouth being connected to said common conduit and the conduit of the closed bell-mouth opening into the conduit of the open bell-mouth.

2. A stethoscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bell-mouths include respective application rims which are related to one another at an acute angle.

3. A stethoscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conduit of the open bell-mouth runs at least approximately parallel to the application rim of the closed bell-mouth and the conduits of the bell-mouths intersect at an acute angle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,271,467 1/ 1942 Smithline 18'l24 3,224,526 1'2/1965 Weber 181-24 STEPHEN I. TOMSKY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A STETHOSCOPE COMPRISING TWO BELL-MOUTHS OF DIFFERENT VOLUMES; A MEMBRANE CLOSING THE SMALLER OF SAID BELLMOUTHS, MEANS PROVIDED WITH TWO CONDUITS CONNECTED TO SAID BELL-MOUTHS, MEANS PROVIDED WITH A COMMON CONDUIT FOR AN ACOUSTIC SYSTEM, THE CONDUIT OF THE OPEN BELL-MOUTH HAVING AN APERTURE IN A POSITION TO BE CLOSED BY A FINGER 